Customer Support Specialist salary in the North Coast Region of California nonmetro area
The median customer support specialist in the North Coast Region of California nonmetro area earned $48,210 a year in May 20251. That is 7.7% above the US median of $44,770, even though it is 2.7% below the California statewide median of $49,560. Nationally that is #37 of 520 areas, in the top tenth. About 690 customer support specialists work here.
BLS occupation 43-4051, area North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area. Data from the May 2025 release, checked 2026-10-15.
Pay in the North Coast Region of California nonmetro area against California and the US
| Range | 10th | Median | 90th | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Coast Region of California (Nonmetro) | $36,410 | $48,210 | $66,040 | |
| California | $38,110 | $49,560 | $75,700 | |
| United States | $31,750 | $44,770 | $63,590 |
The middle half of customer support specialists in the North Coast Region of California nonmetro area earns $41,410–$58,850. The top tenth earns $66,040 or more, 1.8 times the bottom tenth, close to the US pattern of 2.0 times. From the 25th to the 75th percentile, the local range is $17,440 wide, wider than in California as a whole ($17,310) and the US ($14,910), so what a customer support specialist earns in the North Coast Region of California nonmetro area depends more on the employer.
What to budget for a customer support specialist here
| Point in the local range | Per year | Per month | Per hour | Employer cost per year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $36,410 | $3,034 | $17.50 | $46,981 |
| 25th percentile | $41,410 | $3,451 | $19.91 | $53,432 |
| Median | $48,210 | $4,018 | $23.18 | $62,206 |
| 75th percentile | $58,850 | $4,904 | $28.29 | $75,935 |
| 90th percentile | $66,040 | $5,503 | $31.75 | $85,213 |
Pay climbs faster above the median than below it here: the 75th percentile is $10,640 over the median, the 25th only $6,800 under it. An offer at the 75th percentile adds about $13,729 a year in employer cost. These percentiles describe what people in the job earn locally, not experience levels, so place your offer by the tasks and seniority you need.
For scale, the US median of $44,770 falls between the 25th percentile and the median in the North Coast Region of California nonmetro area, and the California statewide median of $49,560 falls between the median and the 75th percentile.
What a hire really costs in the North Coast Region of California nonmetro area
Pay is only part of it. Benefits and payroll taxes other than paid leave are 22.5% of total compensation in US private industry2, which adds about $13,996 to the $48,210 median and brings it to $62,206 a year. Recruiting, equipment and office space come on top. Benefit levels vary by employer, so treat this as an estimate.
Our open customer support specialist roles pay $700–$1,000 a month under a direct contract. The one-time fee is $2,5003 with a 180-day replacement; paying through Deel adds $49 a month4. Change any number below to match your plan.
A local hire here costs about 4.7 times as much as a remote hire in year one at the midpoint of our range. From year two, when the fee drops out, it is 5.8 times the remote figure of $10,788. About the candidates: most apply through our assessment platform with a written and a spoken English task; each profile shows the English level (B1–C2); Silkstaff interviews every shortlisted candidate live, in English, before you meet them.
Other roles in the North Coast Region of California nonmetro area
Of the 16 roles we track in the North Coast Region of California nonmetro area, this one ranks #14 by median pay, between medical administrative assistants ($48,810) and data entry specialists ($45,960). Project Coordinator is the highest at $91,210.
| Role | Median | vs customer support specialist | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sales Development Representative | +5.2% | 390 | |
| Medical Administrative Assistant | +1.2% | 660 | |
| Customer Support Specialist | this role | 690 | |
| Data Entry Specialist | -4.7% | 60 | |
| Virtual Receptionist | -9.3% | 420 |
Measured against the US median, customer support specialists rank #7 of the 16 roles we track in the North Coast Region of California nonmetro area (+7.7%), between bookkeepers (+8.1%) and medical administrative assistants (+6.3%). The typical role here is at +5.9%, so this job follows the area's general pay level. Customer support specialists hold 8.7% of the jobs in these 16 roles in the North Coast Region of California nonmetro area, 10.7% across California and 16.4% nationally. The job is a smaller part of the local workforce in these roles than it is nationally.
Other areas in California
Across the 28 areas of California with data for this job, the median runs from $45,480 in Visalia to $60,480 in San Jose-Sunnyvale, a gap of $15,000 a year. Of the 19 areas in California with more customer support specialists than the North Coast Region of California nonmetro area, 8 pay less, the largest of them Riverside-San Bernardino, CA ($47,150), Fresno, CA ($46,070) and Bakersfield-Delano, CA ($47,310).
| Area | Median | vs the North Coast Region of California nonmetro area | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA | +1.3% | 66,590 | |
| San Diego-Chula Vista, CA | +1.1% | 14,030 | |
| Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California (Nonmetro) | +0.1% | 310 | |
| North Coast Region of California (Nonmetro) | this area | 690 | |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | -0.2% | 820 | |
| Salinas, CA | -0.4% | 880 | |
| Redding, CA | -0.7% | 630 |
the North Coast Region of California nonmetro area against other US metro areas
By number of jobs, the North Coast Region of California nonmetro area is #413 of 520 US areas for this job. The market is small, but its pay is in the top quarter of US areas. Outside California, Midland and Kenosha pay just above the North Coast Region of California nonmetro area and St. Cloud and Hartford-West Hartford just below. All four are within $160 a year of the median in the North Coast Region of California nonmetro area. Of the three markets with about as many customer support specialists, one pays more.
| Metro area | Median | vs the North Coast Region of California nonmetro area | Jobs | Close in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | +3.2% | 690 | jobs | |
| Kenosha, WI | +0.3% | 1,000 | pay | |
| Midland, MI | +0.1% | 620 | pay | |
| North Coast Region of California (Nonmetro) | this area | 690 | ||
| St. Cloud, MN | -0.2% | 1,850 | pay | |
| Hartford-West Hartford, CT | -0.3% | 9,750 | pay | |
| Ames, IA | -11.2% | 690 | jobs | |
| Chambersburg, PA | -17.7% | 690 | jobs |
Questions
How much does it cost to hire a customer support specialist in North Coast Region of California (Nonmetro)?
About $62,206 a year at the median, or $5,184 a month: $48,210 in pay plus about $13,996 in benefits and payroll taxes. Recruiting, equipment and office space are extra.
What do customer support specialists earn in the North Coast Region of California nonmetro area?
Pay here is higher than in three quarters of US areas. The median was $48,210 a year in the May 2025 BLS survey. The 10th percentile was $36,410, the 90th $66,040, and the middle half earned $41,410 to $58,850.
Is the North Coast Region of California nonmetro area cheaper than the rest of California for customer support specialists?
Yes, it costs less: a median of $48,210 against $49,560 statewide. The next area up in California is the Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetro area at $48,260, the next down Santa Cruz-Watsonville at $48,110.
How many customer support specialists work in the North Coast Region of California nonmetro area?
BLS counts about 690 in the May 2025 survey. 19 areas in California have more; the closest in size is the North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetro area, with about 720.
Does a customer support specialist cost more than a data entry specialist in the North Coast Region of California nonmetro area?
Yes: $2,250 a year more at the median. The medians are $48,210 and $45,960.
What does a remote customer support specialist cost compared with the North Coast Region of California nonmetro area?
Our open roles pay $700–$1,000 a month. At the midpoint, with the one-time fee and Deel, year one comes to $13,288, against about $62,206 for a local hire at the median.
Sources
4 sources, with links
- BLS OEWS May 2025, 43-4051: bls.gov
- BLS Employer Costs for Employee Compensation, private industry, June 2026: bls.gov
- Stafka pricing: stafka.com
- Deel pricing, contractor management: deel.com
How these pages are built: methodology and data sources. Last updated 2026-11-12.